Safety device for moving-picture machines.



B. GABROS.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR movme PICTURE MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 18, 1915.

Patented Sept. 12, 1916 3 SHEETS-SHEE-T 2'.

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[UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN GARROS, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR 0F TWENTYEFIVE ONE-HUN- DREDTI-IS T0 CHARLES T. BUSH, TWENTY-FIVE ONE-HUNDREDTHS TO CHARLES E. ALLINGER, TWENTY-FIVE ONE-HUNDREDTHS TO CHARLES A. STRELINGER, AND TWENTY-FIVE ONE-HUNDREDTHS TO MAJOR E. JONES, ALL OF DETROIT,

MICHIGAN.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR MOVING-PICTURE MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

Application filed February 18, 1915. Serial No. 9,043.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, BENJAMIN GARRos, a citizen of ,the United States of America, residing at Detroit, in the county of WVayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in'Safety Devices for Moving-Picture Machines, of

g which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to safety attachments for moving picture machines and has for its object the prevention of the destruction of the film, also the guarding against fire and the facilitatingo quick repair in case of breakage. In the present state of the art it is usual to provide two or more moving picture projecting machines which are under the control of a single operator and which are alternately used in the exhibition of the pictures. The films which travel at high velocity quite frequently break, and where this occurs if the motor is not instantaneously stopped a considerable portion of the film will be mutilated. Furthermore, the stoppage of the film under the concentrated light rays frequently causes ignition and destructive fires. .Thus, if a breakage occurs in the film of one machine while the operator is attending the other machine there will be an unavoidable delay in the stoppage of the motor and the turning off of the light, while anotherdifiiculty is the lack of exterior light to enable the operator to make quick repairs,

The present invention relates to a construction which is quickly attachable to any of the standard moving picture machines, and which without exerting any detrimental action upon the film is controlled by the latter, so that upon breakage there is an instantaneous-stopping of the motor. cutting out of the concentrated light and the turning on of an external light to facilitate the repairs.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a diagram of a moving picture machine to which my attachment is applied; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the housing inclosing the automatic switches; Fig. 3 is a plan view thereof with the cover of the housing removed; and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of the control mechanism.

normally the A is a portion of the film in a moving picture machine which travels past the projector B where it is exposed tothe concentrated light, and is operated by the usual mechanism (not shown).

O is a housing for inclosing a switch D controlling the light and also a switch for controlling the motor. The housin "is preferably formed of metal or other re proof material so as to guard the switches and to prevent all danger of igniting the film by any arcing in the open ng ofeither switch. The housing C is also adapted for mountlng upon the frame of the mov'ng picture machine (not shown), and to this end, as

specifically shown is provided with a laterally-proge'cting lug or bracket E adapted to I be bolted or'otherwise secured to said frame.

F is arock-shaft journaled in bearings within the casing C'and passing out therefrom, being provided at its outer end witha rock-arm G carryin an idler pulley H at its free end. This roc r-arm is so positioned in'relation to the portion A of the film that pulley H will rest lightly against the film, thereby supporting said rock-arm from movement. If, however, the support is withdrawn, as in case of breakage of the film, the arm will drop, thereby communicating a rocking movement to the shaft F.

The switch D is preferably of the knife type and is provided with a spring I for effecting a quick opening. There is also provided a latching detent composed of the finger J engaging a dog K to hold the switch in closed position against the tension of the spring I. v

L is a cam on the rock-shaft F, which is normally out of contact with the tail-piece K ofthe dog K; but which, upon the dropping of the rock-arm Gr, will impinge upon said tail-piece, actuating the same to disengage the dog and permit the spring I to quickly open the switch D. Mounted upon the same shaft F is a rotary switch which as shown comprisesthe insulator drum M having the electrically connected contacts N O P mounted thereon.

Q, R S are brushes adapted to respectively connect with the contacts N O and P in different position of adjustment of the drum M. In normal position the brush Q is in contact with the contact N and the brush R with the contact 0, which establishes electrical connection between the brushes Q and R and closes the motor circuit. This circuit is broken upon the rocking of the shaft F,- which withdraws the contact 0 from the brush R, while the same movement estabm lishes connection between the brush S and the contact P for closing another branch circuit. This circuit includes a lamp T which is mounted on a flexible arm U extending from the casing C, and which serves to illuminate the mechanism to facilitate repairs. 4,

\Vith the construction as described'in operation thepulley H is placed against the film A, the tension being so slight as to produce no objectionable strain upon said film, while the rotation of the pulley will eliminate friction. If the film breaks the pulley is released, permitting the arm G to fall and the momentum acquired by the movement of this arm before the cam L is the film and before the operator can reach" the machine the motor is stopped, the concentrated light is cut out and the lamp T is cut in to illuminate the mechanism. Repairs can thus be quickly made, the arm G being turnedback to its normal position and the switch I) closed by means of a handle Y which'projects outward through a slot in the fire proof case.

The case C is preferably formed in two sections hinged together at C and having a latch C or other means for normally holding said sections closed. There is also preferably provided a fireproof box Z for inclosing all of the terminal connections to the switches D and brushes Q, R S, so as to avoid all danger of electric ignition of the film. Furthermore, in case of a fire the mechanism within the housing C is thoroughly protected from injury.

What I claim as my invention is 1. The combination with a moving picture machine, of a control unit mountable upon said machine, including therewith switches for the motor and light circuits, and a trip mechanism controlling the operation of said switches, projecting from said unit into operative relation to the traveling 2. The combination with a moving picture machine, of a control unit mountable upon said machine, including a housing, switches within said housing for controlling the motor and light circuits, and a trip mechanism for said switches projecting out- Ward from said housing and normally hear- 'ing with light tension against the traveling -film, said trip being released upon the breaking of the film.

3. The combination-with a traveling film, a motor for actuating said film and a light circuit for illuminating the same, of switches controlling said motor and light circuits, a rockable member normally restrained from movement by the traveling film, said member resting against said film at a comparatively small angle thereto, thereby exerting but a slight tension thereon, and means operated by the accumulative force of said rockablemember when released by said film for tripping said switches.

4. The combination with a moving picture machine, of a unit control mechanism therefor, comprising a housing, a switch within said housing having a projecting handle for closing the same, tensioning means for opening said switch, a latch for holding said switch in closed position, a rotary switch within said housing, a shaft on which said rotary switch is mounted projecting out from said housing, a rock-arm on said shaft in operative engagement with the traveling film, and means on said shaft operating upon the rocking of said arm by the release of said film to disengage said latch to permit the opening of said firstmentioned switch, said rotary switch being also actuated by the movement of said arm.

5. The combination with a traveling film, of a motor for actuating said film and an electric circuit for illuminating the film, normally closed switches for said motor and light circuits, a second light circuit, a normally open switch therefor, and means restrained by said film in normal position, adapted when released to directly actuate all of said switches, cutting out the motor and film-illuminating light and establishing a second light.

7 The combination-with a moving picture machine, of a control unit mountable thereupon, comprising afireproof casing, a knife-switch within said casing, resilient means for opening said switch, a locking detent for holding said switch in closed position, a rotary switch also within said casing, a rock-shaft on which said rotary switch is mounted extending out from said case, a rock arm on said shaft, a pulley at the free end of said rock-arm normally hearing against and supported by the traveling film, and means upon said rock-shaft operating upon the breaking of said film for releasing said detent.

8. The combination with a moving picture machine, of a control unit mountable thereupon, comprising a fire-proof casing, a knife-switch therein for controlling the light circuit and an auxiliary light mounted on said casing, a rotary switch within said casing for controlling the motor circuit and said auxiliary light, resilient means for opening said knife-switch, a detent for looking said knife-switch in closed position, a cam actuated by said rotary switch for releasing said detent, and a rock-arm for actuating said rotary switch having its free end in operative contact with said traveling film and adapted when released by said film to rotate said switch and release said detent.

9. The combination with a moving picture machine, provided with a motor, a projector light and an external light, of control mechanism therefor, including switches for controlling the motor, projector light and external light circuits, and a common means normally bearing against the traveling film and adapted when released by the film to break said motor and projector light circuits and to cut in said external light circuit.

10. The combination with a moving picture naciiine, of a control unit mountable upon said machine. including a fire-proof casing, switches within said casing for the ment by a traveling film and exerting but a slight tension on said film insufficient for actuating said tripping means, said rockable member actuating by its momentum gfiid tripping means when released by the 12. Th combination with an electric circult and a switch controlling the same, of means for tripping said switch, and a rockable member normally restrained from movement by a traveling film and exerting but a slight tension on said film insufficient for actuating said tripping means,-the tripping means permitting of rotation of the rockable member before actuating the former, whereby the tripping means is actugted by the momentum of the rockable mem- 13. The combination with an electric circuit and a switch controlling the same, yieldable means for automatically opening said switch, means for holding said switch in closed position, and a rockable member normally restrained from movement by atraveling film and exerting but a slight tension thereon, said rockable member actuating said means for holding the switch in closed position by its momentum when released by the film.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature 

